The commercial product DRiWATER Gel (“DriWATER”) embodies U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,640 (“the '640 patent”), the entire specification of which is incorporated herein. The product has been used throughout the world for the past several years and has successfully provided users with a time-released water delivery product for plants. DRiWATER is a carboxymethylcellulose crosslinked polymer comprised of 97.85% water, 2.0% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (“CMC”), and 0.15% aluminum sulfate. When mixed together in a high sheer mixer, cross linkage between the carboxylic acid groups of the carboxymethylcellulose compound and aluminum in aluminum, sulfate traps the water in a heavy gel stabilizing at a final viscosity of 45,000+ centipoises.
The time release feature of the commercially available product results from the action of micro-organisms that utilize the gel as a food source. The gel is eventually degraded by microorganisms to yield free water. Cellulose degrading microorganisms can be found in all soil types and produce enzymes for breakdown of cellulose. This technology can be thought of as a slow release method for watering plants. DRiWATER has also be used to control the rate of water release so as to not over-water any plant species. The DRiWATER product would be more beneficial to plants if it provided some value other than watering alone such as increasing roots. An increase in the root mass will result in more growth, better appearance, and improve nutrition uptake by plants. The DRiWATER Gel is packaged in cartons, cups, synthetic casing or any other suitable container that can be partially or totally opened for application in close proximity to the rhyzosphere of the plant.
Plants need 18 elements for normal growth. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are found in air and water. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium and sulfur and carbon are found in the soil. The above mentioned elements are referred to as “macronutrients” by those skilled in the art because plants use these elements in large amounts. The nine other elements that are used in much smaller amounts are referred to as “micro-nutrients” or “trace elements” and are found in the soil. These nine micro-nutrients are iron, zinc, molybdenum, nickel, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt and chlorine. All 18 elements, both macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients are essential for plant growth. In most locations, it is likely that there are sufficient macro-nutrients in the soil that are not readily available to the plants due to a zinc deficiency.
It is a fact that the soils in at least 42 of the 48 contiguous states are deficient in zinc. Plant growth is enhanced when zinc is added. The importance of zinc for crop production has been recognized for many years. Zinc deficiency has many symptoms including; stunted growth, light green areas between the veins of new leaves, smaller leaves, shortened internodes, and broad white bands on each side of the midrib in corn and grain sorghum. Zinc is essential to many enzyme systems in plants with three main functions including catalytic, co-catalytic, and structural integrity. Zinc contributes in the production of important growth regulators that affect photosynthesis, new growth, and the development of roots. Zinc promotes the cell growth needed for increasing root development and extended root systems—improving nutrient uptake, formation of new leaves and vigorous shoot growth, more even maturity, and improved stress tolerance. If zinc is in short supply, plant utilization of other plant nutrients such as nitrogen will decrease. When zinc is deficient in soils, only small amounts are needed if placed close to the rhizospere at planting. It would therefore be advantageous to provide DRiWATER with zinc. It is a known fact that, if you mix sodium bicarbonate or any other highly alkaline product with citric acid or any other powdered acid and then add water, the result will be a violent chemical reaction. The chemical reaction neutralizes the PH and therefore will have no effect on plant material.
It would be further advantageous in many instances, if the dry ingredients of the present invention could be shipped to the end user for their mixing at the point of application. However due to the hydroscopic nature of the dry ingredients, it has not been possible to get good cross linkage without the use of a high sheer mixer. The fact that the present invention is 96 to 99% water makes it very expensive to ship.